Rail joint



N. L. TILLE Y RAIL JOINT :Aug. 25, 1936.

7 Filed July 27, 1935 V 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor LLEY RAIL JOINT Aug. I25,

Filed July 27, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 n [or 1 Au b Patented Aug. 25, 1936UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I Norman Lincoln Tilley, Fisher, Ark.

Application July 27, 1935, Serial No. 33,596

1 Claim.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in rail joints andhas for one of its important objects to provide, in a manner hereinafterset forth, a device of this character which eliminates the usual fishplates, bolts, nuts, etc.

Another very important object of the invention is to provide a railjoint of the aforementioned character which is adapted to clamp theadjacent end portions of the rails and which includes novel means forlocking the device in operative or clamped position.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a rail joint of thecharacter described which will be comparatively simple in construction,strong, durable, highly eflicient and reliable in use, compact, light inweight and which may be manufactured at low cost.

All of the foregoing and other objects and advantages of the inventionwill become apparent from a study of the following specification, takenin connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like characters ofreference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,and wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a rail joint constructed in accordancewith the present invention.

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation thereof.

Figure 3 is a detail view in perspective of the base.

Figure 4 is a detail view in perspective of the longitudinally slidableclamp.

Figure 5 is a View in vertical transverse section, taken substantiallyon the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a detail view in perspective of the locking key.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that theembodiment of the invention which has been illustrated comprises a,metallic base or plate I which is adapted for engagement beneath thebase portions 2 of the rails 3. As illustrated to advantage in Figure 5of the drawings, plate I extends beyond the longitudinal edges of therail bases 2.

Formed integrally with one of the projecting longitudinal marginalportions of the plate I is an angular inturned flange 4 which is engagedover the adjacent side portions of the base portions 2 of the rail 3.

From a point at the longitudinal center of the rails 3, the plate I isprovided with a recess 5 for the reception of a longitudinally slidableclamp which is designated generally by the reference numeral 6. Theclamp Ii includes a base 1 which projects beyond the rail bases 2 andwhich has formed integrally therewith an angular, inturned retainingflange 8 engaged on said rail bases.

Rising from the plate I is a longitudinal rib 9 which the clamp G abuts.Rib 9 has formed therein a vertical notch or recess Ill. Formedvertically in the outer edge of the clamp 6 is a plurality of notches orrecesses II which are adapted to be brought into registry with therecess II] to form, in conjunction with each other, a polygonal socketfor the reception of a polygonal locking key l2. The locking key I2 hasformed therein a vertical threaded bore I3 for receiving a suitablethreaded instrument, as at I4 (see Figure 5) to facilitate the removalof said locking key when desired by authorized persons. The inner edgeof the base portion 1 of the clamp 6 abuts the opposed vertical wall ofthe recess 5 in the plate I and, as illustrated in broken lines inFigure 1 of the drawings, these abutting surfaces extend substantiallydiagonally for tightening the joint on the rails when said clamp 6 isdriven home. To facilitate driving the clamp 6 home, the base portion 1of said clamp is provided, at one end, with a longitudinal extension I5which projects beyond the rest of the joint to be conveniently struckwith a hammer or other suitable tool.

To install the joint, the plate I is placed beneath the adjacent endportions of the rails 3 with the flange 4 engaged on the base portions 2of said rails. The clamp 6 is then placed in position in the recess 5with the base portion 7 engaged beneath the base portions 2 of the railsand the flange 8 engaged on said base portions of said rails. The clamp6 is then tightened by driving said clamp longitudinally towards thenarrow end of the recess 5, care being taken to bring one of the notchesI I into registry with the notch III. The locking key I2 is theninserted and the clamp 6 is positively secured in position againstlongitudinal movement relative to the plate I.

It is believed that the many advantages of a rail joint constructed inaccordance with the present invention will be readily understood, andalthough the preferred embodiment of the device is as illustrated anddescribed, it is to be understood that changes in the details of theconstruction and in the combination and arrangement of parts may beresorted to which will fall within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed is:

A rail joint of the class described comprising a plate adapted to bemounted beneath the rails,

a flange rising from one of the longitudinal marginal portions of saidplate and engaged with the base portions of said rails on one sidethereof, the other side portion of the plate having a recess 5 thereinproviding a vertical, diagonally extending wall, a longitudinal ribrising from the bottom of said recess in spaced relation to the rails, aclamp slidably mounted in the recess and including a substantially wedgeshaped base portion extending beneath the rails and abuttin saidvertical wall, said clamp further including a retaining flange engagedon the base portions of the rails, said base portion of the clamp ex-

